Several St. Thomas School of Law graduates have recently been recognized by local and national organizations and publications. Congratulations to the following alumni:
Jules Porter '18 J.D./MBA (Photo credit: Twin Cities Business)
Jules Porter '18 J.D./MBA
Tech Innovator, Twin Cities Business Tech
Jules Porter was recognized as a Minnesotan who is leading tech innovation in the February/March 2021 issue of Twin Cities Business Tech magazine. Porter is the founder and president of Seraph 7 Studios LLC, a video game company that designs games that build empathy and showcase equity.
Read the digital version of the magazine.
Zuri Balmakund Santiago '14 J.D. and Roger Maldonado ’13 J.D.
2021 Top Lawyers Under 40, Hispanic National Bar Association
Roger Maldonado ’13 J.D. (Photo credit: Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP)
Zuri Balmakund Santiago '14 J.D.
Zuri Balmakund Santiago and Roger Maldonado have been named to the Hispanic National Bar Association’s (HNBA) list of “Top Lawyers Under 40” for 2021. This award celebrates and highlights the accomplishments and contributions of HNBA members who have distinguished themselves in the legal profession. The award honors lawyers who have demonstrated professional excellence, integrity, leadership, commitment to the Hispanic community and dedication to improving the legal profession. Balmakund Santiago is an assistant attorney general for the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General. Maldonado is a finance and restructuring associate in the Minneapolis office of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP.
Max Kieley ’08 J.D. (Photo credit: Office of the Minnesota Attorney General)
Max Kieley ’08 J.D. and Jeffrey Storms ’06 J.D.
2020 Attorneys of the Year, Minnesota Lawyer
Max Kieley and Jeffrey Storms have been named 2020 Attorneys of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer newspaper.
Kieley, an assistant attorney general with the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, was honored as a member of the legal team that contributed to the restoration of the name Bde Maka Ska to the lake formerly known as Lake Calhoun.
Storms, a partner at Newmark Storms Dworak LLC, was recognized for his work on a data practices case involving a minor in Carver County, which resulted in a $450,000 settlement for the family. It is believed to be both the largest payout in a Minnesota Government Data Practices Act case and the only successful civil suit against a sitting county attorney in Minnesota.
Jeffrey Storms ’06 J.D. (Photo credit: Newmark Storms Dworak LLC)
Read more about the Bde Maka Ska name restoration.
Read more about the case against the Carver County attorney.
Artika Tyner '06 J.D., '10 MA, '12 EdD
Artika Tyner '06 J.D., '10 MA, '12 EdD (Photo credit: Mark Brown/University of St. Thomas)
2021 40 under 40, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal
St. Thomas Law professor and alumna Dr. Artika Tyner has been named one of Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” for 2021. Each year, the magazine recognizes young business and community leaders from across the Twin Cities who have demonstrated outstanding professional successes, while also contributing to the broader community. A full feature story about Dr. Tyner will be published in April 2021.
In addition to teaching, Tyner leads St. Thomas Law’s Center on Race, Leadership and Social Justice.
Read more about the MSPBJ "40 Under 40" honorees.
Jennifer Lohse '05 J.D. (Photo credit: Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation)
Jennifer Lohse '05 J.D.
2021 Notable General Counsel, Twin Cities Business
Jennifer Lohse, vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer for the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, is one of just 10 individuals who have been named a Notable General Counsel for 2021 by Twin Cities Business magazine. Among other accomplishments, at the onset of the pandemic, Lohse led Hazelden in national care system initiatives to protect patient and staff safety, tackle supply chain interruptions and prepare for potential surges in infection.
The Notable series from Twin Cities Business features best-in-class executives across a range of industries in Minnesota. The leaders profiled are nominated by their peers at work and in the community. Individuals chosen for the general counsel list serve in a senior level role at a company or organization in Minnesota, have at least five years of experience in the field and have shown the abilities to create significant, positive and measurable results in their field.
